Returning Home
by Harliquinn
Summary: Sammie returns home after spending time back east. Did she bring trouble with her? Warning: Contains references to corporal punishment (spanking) and may contain corporal punishment scenes later in the story.
1. Chapter 1

**RETURNING HOME**

Summary: Sammie returns home after spending time back east. Did she bring trouble with her? Warning: Contains references to corporal punishment (spanking) and may contain corporal punishment scenes later in the story.

Author's Note: This story has been developing in my head for a while and I'm finally finding the time to get it down in writing. My life is busy with work and other activities, so I don't know how quickly or how often I will be able to update it. Hopefully, I won't leave you all hanging for long in between chapters. I love getting feedback, so I welcome all comments and suggestions. It's always nice to find reviews in my inbox, as it lets me know what you think of the story.

Legal: This is purely a work of fanfiction. I have no claim to the Magnificent Seven or any of its characters.

*** M7 *** M7 ***

Mary stretched and rolled to her side. Smiling, she propped her head on one hand and ran the other down the bare chest of the man lying on his back next to her. He caught her hand before it could wander lower and drew it to his lips. Kissing it, he held it to his chest. Chris sighed and moved to sit on the side of the bed. He wished he would stay and take Mary up on her invitation, but he needed to leave before the townspeople began their day so no one saw him slipping out of the Clarion's back door.

Mary drew the quilt around her and leaned against Chris's back. "One more week and you won't have to sneak around trying to protect my reputation."

Smiling, he turned and gave the woman he loved a kiss that threatened to curl her toes. "Until then, Mary Travis, I'll be leaving before dawn. We can't have the good people of Four Corners thinking I'm taking advantage of a poor widow woman." He laughed when Mary slapped his shoulder. "Besides, I have to head over to Ridge City to meet the train."

"That's right, Sammie and her friend, Leah," Mary said as she settled back in bed. Her disappointment was tempered by the thought that by that evening Sammie would be home for summer break following her first year at a normal school in St. Louis. Mary was pleased Chris's foster daughter would be home in time for their wedding.

Chris finished buckling his belt and leaned down to brace his hands on either side of Mary's head. He lowered his head to kiss her. "We'll be home by dinner," he said as he stood rose and stepped away from the bed. He moved to grab his hat off the dresser. "Will you and Billy be joining us at the boarding house? Mrs. Patterson is planning a feast."

Mary smiled. "I won't miss it, and I know Billy is looking forward to seeing Sammie again." There was a look in her eyes that instantly made Chris suspicious.

"What do you have planned?"

"Nothing at all."

Chris shook his head as he left the room. Somehow, he didn't quite believe her denial.

*** M7 *** M7 ***

Sammie sat staring out the train window at the passing scenery. In only a few hours she would be home with the people who, in such a short period of time, had come to mean so much to her. She hadn't expected to miss Four Corners as much as she had. She'd grown accustomed to life in Four Corners, but that life was going to be changing. Chris and Mary were getting married. Sammie was happy for them, but she couldn't help that little niggle of doubt that there wouldn't be any room in their lives now for her. She didn't know what she would do if that happened.

"What are you thinking?" The question from her friend, Leah Sullivan, brought Sammie out of her reverie. The two young women were sitting in facing seats in a passenger car of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. They had been riding various trains for the past week, and were both looking forward to reaching their destination

Before she could respond the door at the end of the car opened and a man entered. Sammie hadn't seen them in the car before, but he had the hard bitten look she had learned to associate with outlaws. She couldn't imagine what purpose he would have in this particular car, but whatever it was, it couldn't be good. Suddenly concerned with what might be about to happen, Sammy shifted to pull her valise from underneath her seat. Keeping an eye on the man making his way through the car, she pulled a pistol from the bag and hid it at her side under her skirt. When Leah started to comment, she subtly shook her head, warning her friend to be quiet.

"Well, now, what do we have here?" the men asked as he approached where the two young women were sitting in the middle of the car. Coincidentally, they were the only women in the car not accompanied by at least one man. The stranger grinned as he sat down next to Leah. "Two pretty ladies all alone. We can't have that, now, can we?" He grinned as he ran a finger down Leah's arm. Sammy could smell the odor of stale alcohol emanating from him from where she sat in the opposite seat.

"Please don't," Leah responded, trying to shift away from the stranger in the limited space offered by the bench seat. His odor and touch made her queasy. She looked desperately at Sammy for help.

"Ah, ain't that sweet? She even said please." The man chuckled as he leaned in closer to sniff Leah's hair.

Sammie didn't want to take a chance in looking around the car or calling out for help. The stranger was obviously drunk, and she was afraid that drawing attention to the situation would only provoke him into hurting Leah. She sighed. She knew what she was about to do could only lead to trouble, but she couldn't let this stranger continue to accost her friend. "She asked you to stop," Sammie stated loudly, hoping to draw attention to their situation. "I think it's time you go back from where you came." At the same time, she pulled a Smith and Wesson Scofield pistol out from under her skirt. Cocking it, she pointed it in the stranger's direction. Scooting to the opposite end of her seat, she held the gun in her right hand and held her left one out to Leah. When her friend grasped her hand, Sammie pulled her to sit beside her.

"Now, hold on a minute. There ain't no reason to get tetchy. I just wanted to get to know your friend there a bit better," the stranger said. "Besides that's an awful big gun for such a little girly like you." The man shifted, indicating his telegraphing his intention to reach across the space and attempt to take it away from her.

"I wouldn't," Sammie said simply. "It may be a big gun, but I assure you, I know how to use it and am not the least bit squeamish at the idea of shooting you." She paused for a moment before continuing. "My father and his friends are all gunfighters, and they made sure I knew how to defend myself."

"I believe the young lady asked you to leave." A stern voice sounded from behind Sammie's right shoulder. She didn't dare take her eyes off the man in her gun sights in order to turn to see who had spoken. A few seconds later, a tall man, dressed in rugged work clothes stepped into her peripheral vision. "You'd best do as she says."

The stranger was too focused on the gun in Sammie's hand he didn't notice the second man slip around the one who had spoken and move in behind him. The feel of a gun barrel pressed between his shoulder blades quickly caught his attention, however.

"Stand up now."

The man stood and the first man who had spoken grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into the aisle. "Don't worry, ladies," he said, grinning. "We'll make sure this mudsill won't be bothering you again." He shoved the stranger toward the door at the end of the car. His friend stepped out between them. Keeping the barrel of his gun in the stranger's back, he propelled the stranger forward.

It was only then that Sammie spotted the train's conductor standing near the doorway. Like the other passengers on the train, the uniformed man had been watching the proceedings in stunned silence. Now that the excitement was over, he rushed forward to Sammie's and Leah's. "Are you unharmed?" he asked nervously, eying the pistol Sammie still held in her hand. "We're fine. Where did that man come from?"

"I don't know," the conductor admitted. "He may have been riding in one of the other cars. However, I can assure you, he will be leaving the train at the next stop." The conductor was unaware that the next stop was also where the two young women would be leaving the train as well.

"No need," said Sammy, as she carefully uncocked the pistol and laid it in her lap. "We are getting off the train there." She wrapped her arm around Leah's shoulders and pulled her friend close. "My father will be meeting the train, and, as you can see, we're well protected."

"Yes, well, about that," the conductor said uncomfortably. "I don't suppose you could put that away." He nodded toward the pistol.

"Let her keep it." One of the men who had escorted the stranger out of the car spoke up as he neared the small group. "Your _friend_ ," he emphasized the word to indicate his sarcastic meaning, "decided to leave the train a little early. He won't be bothering you again."

"He's not . . ." Leah wasn't quite sure what she intended to say, fearing one or the other of her two rescuers had shot the stranger.

"He's probably still rolling down the hillside," said the other man as he joined them. "We tossed him off the end of the caboose. Moving past the group, he resumed his seat and picked up the book he'd been reading when all the commotion had started. He pretended to be reading it, but in truth he was watching Sammie. He'd heard what she'd said about her father and was curious as to the man's identity. He'd heard tale of a group of seven gunmen protecting a town about half a day's ride to the west of Ridge City and wondered if one of them was her father. Wouldn't it be an ironic twist of fate if this young woman's father happened to be the very man he was trying to find, he thought as his friend took his seat across from him and blocked his view of Sammie. He chuckled softly as he turned his attention back to his book.

The second man watched his friend resume his seat before turning back to speak to Sammie. "That mudsill was right, that pistol's a bit big for a little thing like you. I'm Zachary Wilson, by the way, and that's Colin Hunter," he said, nodding toward his friend. "You shouldn't be carrying, and you sure as heck shouldn't pull it on someone unless you intend to use it."

"Who says I didn't intend to use it," Sammie replied somewhat icily, intentionally ignoring the man's introductions. She might have to put up with overbearing protectiveness from Chris and his fellow peacekeepers, but she wasn't going to accept it from this stranger. "As I told him," she nodded toward the now empty seat, indicating exactly to whom she was referring, "I know full well how to use this weapon. Believe me, it would not have been the first time I'd shot a gun in self-defense."

Knowing he wasn't going to win this argument, the man shook his head in defeat. "Suit yourself. I just hope you truly do know what you're doing. Otherwise, you're in for a world of hurt" he said before he started down the aisle to resume his seat.

"Yes, well," the conductor stammered a bit at the exchange that had just occurred. "All the same, I insist on escorting you to your father when we reach the station and telling him what just happened. Two young ladies oughtn't to be traveling alone." He turned on his heel and walked away before either Sammie or Leah could reply.

"Where did you get that?" Leah asked, nodding toward the gun that still lay on Sammie's lap. It was the first time she'd actually seen one up close. She'd been sheltered her entire life, especially after she'd gone to live with her uncle in St. Louis after her parents' death from yellow fever when she was a young child. It had taken a lot of persuasion to convince her uncle to allow her to attend the normal school and to reside in the dormitory. If it had been up to him, Leah knew she would have already married and started a family. But, he finally agreed not to stand in the way of her dream of becoming a teacher. It had been even harder to convince him to allow her to accompany Sammie home for the summer. Her friend had made the western town sound so exciting. But now, she was starting to wonder if her uncle hadn't been right in not wanting her to go.

"I bought it right after I got to St. Louis," Sammie said, interrupting Leah's train of thought. "Chris wouldn't let me take one with me, but I didn't feel safe without it. I really didn't need one of my own while I was living in Four Corners, but I didn't have those seven men watching out for me in St. Louis." Sammie had told her friend an abbreviated version of how she'd come to live under the protection of Chris Larabee and his fellow peacekeepers. Sammie grinned mischievously. "Could you imagine what would have happened if Matron Timmons had found it?" she asked, referring to the woman who oversaw the dormitory where Sammie and Leah had shared a room.

Her fear momentarily forgotten at the idea of the imagined reaction of the stern woman to finding a firearm in her home, Leah grinned broadly. "She would have been absolutely apoplectic. I can just see her now, her face would be red and she'd open and shut her mouth like a fish before launching into a lecture about bringing an instrument of 'Satan's evil' into her home." Both young women laughed at the thought.

It would not have been the first time Sammie would have gotten in trouble with the matron. Her love of adventure hadn't waned when she'd gone back east to attend school, and she'd indulged it on a number of occasions. A few of those indulgences had resulted in threats of expulsion and Sammie having a sore backside from the strap Matron Timmons kept in her office. Sammie only hoped Matron Timmons had not kept Chris informed on her actions. If she had, Sammie was sure she would be spending quite a bit of her first week home sitting uncomfortably.

*** M7 *** M7 ***

Chris sat on the bench of the buckboard he'd rented from Tiny, the owner of the livery stable in Four Corners since Sammie and her friend, Leah, were likely to be traveling with trunks and other various pieces of luggage that would be difficult to transport on horseback. He took a final draw from the cheroot he'd been smoking and tossed the butt into the dirt. Pulling out his pocket watch, he checked the time. The train was due in about ten minutes. He replaced the watch and jumped down from the bench, landing lightly on his feet. Moving across the dusty street, Chris mingled with the crowd of people milling about the train station.

He no sooner found a place to wait on the crowded platform than a distant train whistle sounded. No more than ten minutes passed before the train appeared, then slowed to a stop at the platform. Chris waited impatiently for the passengers to begin emerging from the cars.

He smiled with pleasure when Sammie, followed by a slightly plump blonde-haired young woman, stepped out of a car and onto the platform. His smile of pleasure quickly morphed into a scowl of concern when a man in a conductor's uniform stepped out behind them and grasped both women by the back of an arm. Chris quickly pushed his way through the milling crowd. "What's going on?" he demanded when he got close enough.

"Chris . . . ."

"Are you this young lady's father?" the conductor asked, interrupting Sammie's greeting.

"I am, and I asked what's going on here." Chris leveled his infamous glare at the uniformed man.

The conductor released the young women's arms and took a step back. It was obvious he hadn't been expecting a hardened gunfighter to be waiting for the two young women. He swallowed heavily. "Um, yes, Mr. . . ," he paused waiting for someone to provide Chris's name. "Yes, well, there was an incident on the train this morning involving these young ladies. A drunkard entered their car and attempted to make their acquaintance," he continued quickly when no one responded to his unspoken request. "This young woman," he gestured in Sammie's direction, "saw fit to put a firearm on him."

"She was doing an admirable job of defending herself and her friend when my friend and I stepped in to escort their assailant out of the car and off the train," Colin Hunter stated as he stepped up to the small group. He smiled briefly in Sammie's direction before returning his attention back to the black-clad man standing in front of him. "Colin Hunter," he said, holding his hand out.

"Chris Larabee," Chris responded, accepting Colin Hunter's handshake. He glanced behind Hunter when another man came up behind him.

"This is my friend, Zachary Wilson."

Chris nodded in Wilson's direction. "Tell me what happened," he directed Sammie.

"Just as he said, Chris, some man entered the car and sat down beside Leah. It was obvious he was drunk. I could smell him from where I was sitting. Anyway, he started bothering Leah, so I pulled out my gun and demanded he leave us alone."

"That's where we stepped in," Zachary interrupted. "We escorted him out of the car at gun point and tossed him off the back of the caboose."

Chris glanced at Leah. She had yet to say a word, and Chris could tell she was a bit overwhelmed at the events. He smiled gently at her, attempting to put her at ease. When she returned his smile, he turned his attention back to the rest of the group. Something was causing the hair on the back of Chris's neck to stand at attention, and he noticed Colin Hunter was studying him a little too intently for his liking. "We know each other from somewhere?"

"No, I don't believe I've ever had the pleasure," Hunter replied, ignoring the spoken request in Chris's question. "I'm just glad Zach and I were able to help."

"Uh huh," Chris responded, not quite trusting the man and his motives. "I appreciate what you did for them." Turning to Sammie and Leah he asked, "how much baggage do you have?"

"One trunk each," Sammie responded.

"Let's get them loaded so we can head home," Chris said, draping his arm around Sammie and giving her shoulders a quick squeeze in welcome. "I'm sure Leah, here, is anxious to get going."

"Yes, sir, I am," she responded.

Several minutes later, the buckboard pulled away. Chris's gut was telling him trouble was coming, and it somehow involved Colin Hunter. Chris glanced back at the train station's platform and spotted Hunter still studying him intently. He couldn't remember having met the other man before, but Hunter obviously knew who he was and some sort of business with him. Choosing not to borrow trouble, he ignored the other man and turned to Sammie. "Okay, Samantha, you care to tell me where you got a gun, 'cause I know you didn't take one to St. Louis with you."

Sammie winced slightly at Chris's use of her given name. With Chris, that was never a good sign. "I bought it shortly after I arrived in St. Louis." She grinned cheekily. "I thought I might need it. Guess I was right." She shifted in her seat to study Chris's stern features. "Are we going to have one of your discussions about it?"

Chris remained silent, concentrating on guiding the wagon through the heavy traffic surrounding the train station. The longer he stayed quiet, the more Sammie began to squirm. Finally, he broke the silence. "Guess we'll let it go this time." He couldn't help but miss the relief that passed through Sammie. He wasn't going to let her know he was glad she'd had it with her on the train today.

TO BE CONTINUED

Author's note: For those of you who aren't familiar with the term, a normal school was a school for the purpose of training teachers in established teaching standards or "norms." It was what would later be referred to as a "teacher's college."


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

 _Sammy and her friend, Leah, have arrived to spend the summer in Four Corners. Sammy has been attending a normal school back east. The young ladies were accosted on the train. One of the men who came to their rescue has some kind of connection with Chris._

Leah nearly bounced with excitement on the seat of the buckboard as the trio neared the town of Four Corners and the outlying building came into view. She knew it was silly, but Sammie had talked so fondly about the town that she couldn't wait to see it for herself. She had spent the trip from Silver City chatting with Chris, asking him question after question about the town and its people, while Sammie had spent the time deep in thought. Leah only hoped she hadn't bothered the man too much, but her thirst for knowledge had needed to be quenched.

As for Sammy, her thoughts were on how much she was looking forward to seeing everyone who had become her family since she'd come to live in Four Corners. She wondered how much Kevin and Billy had grown and what new scheme Ezra had dreamed up to make money. She couldn't wait to catch up with Nancy and Casey. The three of them had kept in touch through letters, but that wasn't the same as sharing a gossip session. Every now and again, her mind would stray to the one thought that weighed the heaviest on her – what would happen after Chris and Mary were married? That was the one worry she just couldn't seem to shake.

"I'll drop you two at the boarding house and return the wagon to the livery," Chris said, interrupting both young women's thoughts. "Then, I'll get some of the others to help me move your trunks to your room. Mrs. Patterson was planning on fixing it up real nice for the two of you."

"I bet Kevin and Vin are both disappointed to be sharing a room again," Sammy stated a bit snidely. Chris glanced over at her and couldn't miss the light of mischief that had crept into her eyes. It was the first hint of his old Sammie that he'd seen since meeting their train. "Kevin sounded so excited when he wrote that he was getting to move into my room. I got the impression it made him feel like a big boy instead of a little kid."

Leah was a little surprised at the snide tone of her friend's words. Oh, it wasn't the first time she'd heard it. After all, Sammie was known for her sarcastic attitude, but Leah had never heard it unleashed on someone who hadn't done something first to deserve it. She glanced at Chris to see how he would handle it.

He surprised her, though, by giving a short bark of laughter. "Kevin's too excited about you coming home to be too upset about it. We moved his trundle bed back down out of the attic, but I think he'd have been just as happy with a pallet on the floor. I'd say Vin is about ready to move out into a wagon after having to deal with Kevin bouncing off the walls."

"That'd be about normal for him, though," Sammie retorted.

"Just about."

Sammie studied the boarding house as they approached. It was quiet, and she didn't miss the slight twitch of a curtain in the front parlor window. It was like someone had been watching for their approach, but no one stepped out onto the porch like she expected.

Chris pulled the horse to a stop and wrapped the reins around the brake lever. He hoped down from the buck board to help Sammie and Leah down off the wagon seat. "Go on in, I'll be there as soon as I can."

Sammie studied the building for a moment, then slipping her arm into Leah's she led her friend up the steps and across the porch to the front door. They hadn't taken three steps into the boarding house when the shouted "SURPRISE" and "WELCOME HOME" nearly stopped her heart.

*** M7 *** M7 *** M7 ****

It was barely dawn when Sammie stepped out onto the boarding house's broad front porch. She placed her mug of hot tea on the porch railing and wrapped herself in the blanket she'd carried out with her to ward off the early morning chill. Picking up the mug, she settled into a rocking chair to watch the sun rise over the eastern horizon.

She hadn't been there long when she heard footsteps approaching. Glancing over, she watched as Chris approached. He climbed the porch steps and moved to sit in the rocker beside her. "You're up early."

"I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. I didn't want to disturb Leah. What about you, you're out awfully early yourself. Nathan had patrol last night, so that can't be it." Sammy paused a moment to take a sip of her tea. Grinning, she continued, "you wouldn't happen to be sneaking home from the Clarion, now would you? How is Mary this morning?"

Chris ignored her question and studied her for a moment. "There's something we need to discuss. I was going to wait a bit, but now's as good a time as any."

"I figured there would be." Sammy sat forward to place her mug on the porch railing. She'd suddenly lost her desire for the hot beverage. "Matron Timmons wrote you, didn't she?"

"You honestly didn't think she wouldn't?"

"I had hoped."

Chris gave a short laugh. "I suppose you might. " He was willing to let most of what the woman had written him go, but there was one incident that particularly concerned him. "You want to tell me about Mr. Clark?"

Sammie blanched a little. That was the one incident she'd hoped Matron Timmons had neglected to relay to Chris. "I have a good explanation for it."

"Alright," Chris said, sitting back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. "Let's hear it."

"Mr. Clark teaches mathematics. There was a girl in the same class as me. Her name is Rachel, and she had a really hard time understanding the lessons. Mr. Clark didn't make it any easier on her. Rather, he seemed to enjoy embarrassing her every time she'd get something wrong." Sammy reached for her mug of tea and took a sip of the now cool liquid. "Some of us decided to help her and worked with her after classes. When she got all of the problems on a test correct, he called her to the front of the room and demanded she tell him how she'd cheated. He refused to believe her and kept yelling at her, accusing her of cheating, until she finally ran out of the room in tears. She left school the next day." She looked at Chris, her expression not the least bit repentant. "Some of the other girls and I decided he shouldn't be allowed to get away with it." She shrugged. "I'm sure Matron Timmons filled you in on the rest. We set it up so that Mr. Clark would be accused of something he didn't do and would have a hard time proving otherwise. I started feeling guilty after the headmaster terminated his employment, so I confessed to everything."

Chris stood and moved to lean against the porch railing, facing Sammie. "I have to say I'm a mite disappointed in you, Samantha. You're eighteen now, I would have thought you'd know better than to do something like that." He paused to give her a hard look. Sighing, he continued, "I ought to take you over to the Sheriff's Office where we'd have some privacy and blister your backside."

Sammie couldn't say she hadn't been expecting his reaction. She'd just hoped it would have been a while longer before it happened.

"However," Chris continued, calling her attention back to him. "Since you just got home, I'm willing to let it go for now." He held up his hand to forestall her saying anything until he was finished. "But you get in trouble for anything while you're home, and you'll get what you should have received for this plus anything else you've got coming for whatever you did. Understood?"

Sammie rose and moved to stand in front of Chris. She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her head against his chest. "I understand. Thank you."

Chris returned her hug for a moment before taking her arms and pushing her back so he could look down into her face. There was still something bothering his girl. "You want to tell me what else is eatin' at you?"

She didn't know if she was ready to discuss her fear, especially with Chris. She'd held it too closely. Sammy hitched her blanket a bit higher on her shoulders and turned away. "Nothing." She started to move toward the door. "I think I'll go up and see if Leah is awake."

"Not so fast, young lady," Chris responded, stepping forward to lay a hand on her shoulder and halt her progress. He turned her to face him. "I know there's something else bothering you. You haven't acted like yourself ever since you got off that train, and it's something more than what happened on the train or that business with Mr. Clark. Let's have it."

Sammie thought briefly about trying to convince Chris nothing was wrong. But, from the look on his face, that wouldn't be easy. "What's going to happen to me?" The question slipped out before she'd realized she'd even said it.

Her words were so soft Chris nearly missed them. It took him a moment for him to register what she'd said. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"What's going to happen to me when you and Mary get married?" This time she said it a bit louder. It was all she could do to keep herself from crying. As afraid as she'd been to ask the question, she was even more afraid to hear Chris's answer. She didn't know what she would do if they didn't want her to be part of their new life together.

"I heard you the first time. What do you mean, what's going to happen to you?" He took a minute to calm himself down. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Even the fact those thoughts had entered Sammie's mind had his temper rising. He took a deep breath. Unleashing his temper wasn't going to help matters. "After Mary and I return from our honeymoon, we're moving into the old Hammonds house. There's a room there for you and Leah to share, or you can stay here in the boarding house." He moved to envelope Sammie in a hug. "You're part of our lives, and that's not ever going to change. Don't you ever forget that."

Author's Note: Sorry this chapter is so short. I have an idea where I want to go with this story, but not quite how I want to get there. I'm also having a hard time finding time to write with my busy schedule. Hopefully, it won't take as long for me to get the next chapter written and posted. (No promises, though.)

As always, I love receiving feedback from my readers.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

"You've been back in town a week," Nancy said as she reached across the table to hand Sammie the cup of tea she'd just poured, "and I can't believe it's taken this long for us to get together." They were in the parlor of the boarding house where Nancy had a room. The tea and fresh-baked cookies had been supplied by her landlady.

"I know." Sammie placed a couple of sugar cookies on her plate before passing it to Leah, who had been invited to join them. "We've been so busy getting settled in and with wedding preparations we haven't had a lot of time to visit."

"I'm so happy for Mary and Chris. How are the preparations going?" Nancy asked.

"I'm going with Mary for the final fitting on her dress this afternoon," Sammie replied. "She wanted to wear something she already had, but Chris insisted she get a new dress for the occasion. Apparently, her first wedding was a simple affair, and he wants this one to be special – especially since she's business owner in town." She paused to take a sip of her tea. "She's going to be a beautiful bride."

"I'm looking forward to it." Nancy turned to smile at Leah. "How are you finding Four Corners so far? Is it everything you expected?"

"Everyone's been wonderful," Leah replied. "They all treat me like I've always been one of the family." She paused to glance at Sammy. "She'd told me about the town and everyone here, and it's much more than I expected."

Nancy laughed. "It can be a bit overwhelming at times. When I came here I'd never been west of the Mississippi. Mary took me under her wing, and Sammie and I soon became friends." She gave a short laugh. "That's about all it took for those seven peacekeepers to start thinking of me as one of their own."

"That and the fact that Vin was sweet on you," Sammie interjected. "Speaking of which, how are things going with you two? Vin avoided giving me a straight answer when I asked him."

"They're okay," Nancy replied, hoping the act of pouring another up of tea for Sammie would distract her friend.

"What's wrong, Nancy?" Sammie asked. "What's going on? Is it something between you and Vin?"

Nancy sighed. She should have known she couldn't have been lucky enough to have distracted her friend. "I'm surprised Kevin hasn't told you. It's been the talk of the town for weeks."

"What?"

"Arthur Butterfield has been making trouble again. This time he has a few more townspeople behind him."

"Who's Arthur Butterfield," Leah asked.

"And what is he doing now?" Sammie interjected.

Turning to Leah, Nancy explained, "Arthur Butterfield is a storeowner here in town. He's been trying for a while to convince the town leaders to fire me because of my relationship with Vin."

"Why?" Leah asked, surprised. "Did they include a clause in your teaching contract that you had to remain single or couldn't be courted?"

"No, they didn't," Nancy responded. "Most people in town like Vin and are fine with the fact that we are seeing each other. However, there are those who dislike him because he's friendly with the local Indians. Arthur Butterfield is one of them. He thinks I'm a bad influence on my students because I'm cozied up with that dodgasted Injun lover," She said, mimicking the storekeeper's voice.

"I thought he'd stopped. What got him going this time?"

"Mary and some of the others have been talking about having some of the children from the reservation come to town to attend school. They would live with willing families during the school term and return to the reservation during breaks. Mr. Butterfield is leading the fight against the idea."

"Hmm," Sammie replied as she took a sip of her tea.

Leah was familiar with the expression on her roommate's face and knew nothing good could come from it. "What are you thinking?"

"Mr. Clark."

"You cannot seriously be thinking that." Leah carefully set her tea cup on its saucer and stared in disbelief at her friend. "Didn't you tell me Chris knows what happened? I can't imagine he'd be very happy if you did it again."

"So we wait until after he and Mary leave for Denver to do it. If we plan it carefully enough, no one will know it was us. Plus, if we do it shortly after they leave, it should have all blown over by the time they get back."

"I'm obviously missing something here," Nancy stated, confused at the turn the conversation had taken. "What are you two talking about?"

Sammie and Leah took turns relating the story of Sammie's revenge on Mr. Clark.

"Sammie, Leah is right, if Chris finds out he'll do more than shoot you," Nancy stated, shocked at what her friend was suggesting. "Not to mention what the others would have to say." She was concerned about her own backside if they did what her friends were suggesting and Vin discovered her role in it.

"It would be worth it to see that mudsill get his comeuppance," Sammy responded, neglecting to tell her friends about Chris's promise. "We have to come up with something they wouldn't suspect was us. With Mr. Clark, it was unsuitable literature hidden in his classroom. Somehow, I don't think that would be as easy to pull off here." She sat forward and folded her hands on the table in front of her. "Any ideas?" she asked.

*** M7 *** M7 ***

A few days later . . .

Oren Travis stepped out onto the porch of the boarding house and looked around for his grandson and Kevin. He and the other men had gathered there, while his wife and the other women had gone to the church with Mary to help her get ready. It would be time for them to leave for the church soon, and the judge wanted to make sure the boys had followed his order not to get dirty when they'd raced out the front door.

He sighed heavily as he spotted the two children crouching in the dirt at the side of the wide front porch. It looked like they were playing a game of marbles. He shook his head as he headed down the porch steps toward them. What was it about boys that left them incapable of staying clean for more than ten minutes?

"I thought I told you two to not to get dirty," Judge Travis stated as he stepped up beside the boys. He reached down and grasped each boy by an arm, pulling them to their feet and none too gently dusting the dirt off their trousers.

"We aren't dirty," Billy responded as he tried to squirm away from his grandfather's hold. Kevin seconded Billy's protest. The discomfort he'd felt in the older man's presence fled in the wake of the perceived injustice. After all, to his mind getting a bit dusty wasn't the same as getting dirty.

"Then I suppose I just imagined the dirt I just dusted off your britches?" Neither boy responded. "Go on, get back on the porch and stay there this time. We'll be leaving for the church soon."

"Yes, sir," both boys said as they grudgingly did as they were told. Judge Travis couldn't help but grin as Kevin ran a finger under the stiff collar of his dress shirt. "Why do we gotta wear this stuff and stay clean," he asked Billy as they trudged up the porch steps. "What's so special about a wedding?"

"I don't know," Billy answered. "But I'm not so sure I like it."

*** M7 *** M7 *** M7 ***

Josiah had gladly given up his living quarters at the rear of the church for Mary to use as her dressing room. She stood in front of a full-length mirror that had been carried to the church from the general store and Gloria Potter and Evie Travis adjusted the blue enamel combs in the curls at the back of her elaborate hair style.

Finally satisfied, the two women stepped back. Mary had chosen a blue and cream silk dress in a style shown in the latest fashion magazine from St. Louis.

"You look lovely, my dear," Evie stated as the bride turned to face the room. "You have something old," she said, referring to the cream colored lace shawl that draped her shoulders. "And you have something blue." She gestured for Sammie to come forward. "Now, it's time for something borrowed."

Sammie handed Evie the sapphire necklace Evie had brought with her just for that purpose. "Oren gave me this for our wedding anniversary last year. I would like you to wear it today."

"It's beautiful. Evie, I couldn't possibly . . ." Mary started to protest, but Evie interrupted.

"Nonsense. You're like a daughter to me, and I want you to wear it." The older woman moved behind Mary to fasten the necklace around her neck.

Mary turned back to view her image in the mirror. She reached up to wipe a tear from her eye. "Thank you," she said, reaching to give Evie a hug. "I know this can't be easy for you, after Steven," she whispered into her former mother-in-law's ear. Evie pulled back from the embrace and reached up to wipe a tear from Mary's cheek. "Steven loved you. Never doubt that. But, he died, and I know he wouldn't have wanted you to remain alone. Besides, Chris Larabee is a good man. From what Oren has told me and what I've seen, he'll be a good husband to you and a good father to Billy. That's all that matters." Mary gave Evie another quick hug in acknowledgement of her words.

A knock sounded at the door as the two women ended their hug. Sammie answered it, and Josiah stepped into the room.

"Mary, you are surely a picture of beauty. If you're ready, it's time for the ceremony to begin."

A few minutes later, Sammie entered the church through the door from Josiah's living quarters and made her way to the piano that had been carefully moved from the boarding house. Looking around the church, she thought the whole town must have been there. The women were all wearing their finest dresses. Most of the men were dressed in their finest as well, but a few still wore their rough working clothes. She grinned, secretly wondering how many of them were there willingly, and how many had been dragged there by their wives.

She watched as Evie slipped out through the doorway and moved to sit in the front pew on the bride's side of the aisle. Billie stood up from where he sat with Vin and Kevin and moved to sit beside her.

At Josiah's signal, Sammie turned to the piano and began playing Pachelbel's _Cannon in D_ as Gloria Potter made her way down the aisle to the front of the church. When Sammy caught a glimpse of Mary, escorted by Judge Travis, appear in the doorway she switched and began playing Mendelssohn's _Wedding March_.

When Mary and Oren drew even with the first pew, Billy rose and joined them. Josiah stepped forward and asked, "Who gives this woman to be married?"

Oren Travis looked down at his grandson and gave him a nod of encouragement. "I do," Billy said, as loudly and clearly as his nerves would allow. Josiah smiled and nodded his approval as Oren slid Mary's hand from his arm and placed it in Chris's waiting one. He then took Billy's hand to lead him back to sit in the pew beside his grandmother.

When they were settled, Josiah began a short sermon on marriage, then launched into the vows. "We are here today to join Christopher Larabee and Mary Travis in holy matrimony." Looking at the couple and seeing they had already joined hands, he continued, "Chris, repeat after me."

Chris looked into Mary's eyes as he repeated, "I, Chris, take you, Mary, for my lawful wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part." He slid the ring onto Mary's finger.

"I, Mary, take you, Chris, for my lawful husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part."

Josiah grinned. "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Chris stepped forward and pulled Mary into an embrace before proceeding to kiss her thoroughly. The couple turned to face the crowd as Josiah announced, "May I introduce Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Larabee."


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

"I have the perfect idea," Leah said as she slipped into a chair at a table in the hotel restaurant. She, Sammie and Nancy had decided to meet there for their weekly tea rather than at one of the boarding houses. It was a week after the wedding. If they were going to pull off their prank against Arthur Butterfield with the least possibility of Chris finding out, they needed to act soon. The newlyweds would be home in a couple of weeks, and they needed time for the fervor to die down.

The three young women engaged in small talk until their orders of tea and pieces of chocolate cake were delivered. Once she was sure they would be given some privacy, Sammie placed her tea cup back on the table and leaned in. "Okay, spill. I'm dying to know."

"Mrs. Crager," Leah said simply.

Sammie smiled and laughed out loud. Glancing around to see if she'd drawn any attention to their table, she lowered her voice and said, "that's perfect. Why didn't I think of that?" Turning to Nancy, she explained, "Leah has the ability to perfectly copy anyone's handwriting. She wrote a letter from home for Annie Crager that revoked her mother's refusal to allow Annie to go into town with the rest of us once a week. Our housemother never suspected a thing." She took a bite of her cake. "We'd just need to get a sample of Mr. Butterfield's handwriting and come up with something inflammatory."

"I can help with the handwriting sample," Nancy said, smiling. "I have a letter he wrote and tacked to the door of the school, just where I'd find it."

"That's perfect," Leah responded. "I'll stop by your room later and get it."

"Wonderful," Nancy said. She picked up her tea cup and took a sip. The three friends were silent for a few minutes while they enjoyed their tea and cake and thought of ideas.

"I've got it," Sammie said, suddenly breaking the silence. "What it we made it look like he was sending a letter to someone promising him your job once he forces you to quit or the town to fire you?"

"And that he thinks he's close to accomplishing that because the townspeople are falling for the lies he's been spreading?" Leah chimed in.

"Perfect," Sammie exclaimed. "I'll help you with the wording. Next problem, how are we going to make it public?"

"I have a plan for that, too," Nancy said, sitting forward to relate it to her friends.

*** M7 *** M7 *** M& ***

Monday morning found the three young women sitting on the porch of Mrs. Patterson's boarding house. To the casual observer, it appeared they were enjoying a morning chat. Instead, they were using the porch's view of the telegraph and post office to watch for Arthur Butterfield. The stage was due the next day, and he always dropped off his outgoing mail the day before.

Nancy folded the letter she'd been reading and slipped it back into the envelope. "It's perfect," she said as she handed the envelope to Leah. "If I didn't know better, I would have believed he'd written it."

"Now we just have to wait for the perfect opportunity to deliver it," Leah said, accepting the envelope and slipping it into her reticule. She placed the bag on the floor of the porch.

A few minutes passed before Sammy said, "it looks like we're going to get our opportunity." They watched as Butterfield closed the door to his store and made his way down the street to the telegraph and post office.

As they'd planned, Nancy stood and excused herself, saying she had some things to take care of at the schoolhouse. Leah and Sammy also stood and made their way down the street. Peaking in the front window of the telegraph and post office, they spotted Arthur Butterfield standing at the counter. They entered the building and moved to stand behind him.

Arthur Butterfield finished his business and turned to leave. Spotting Sammie behind him, he nodded tersely and quickly left the building. Sammie stepped forward and distracted the clerk while Leah moved to the side of the counter. She crouched down and pulled the envelope from her reticule. Pretending to have found the letter on the floor, she stood. "Excuse me," she said, drawing the clerk's attention. "I believe that man dropped this." She held the envelope out in the clerk's direction.

"I believe I will take possession of that," Ezra said, stepped up behind Leah and Sammie. He reached over Leah's shoulder and pulled the envelope from her grasp.

"That's United States mail. If Mr. Butterfield dropped it, I can't let you take it," the clerk protested.

"I'm afraid you are mistaken, my kind sir," Ezra said, sliding his finger under the envelope's flap to open it. "These young ladies," the look he gave Sammie and Leah clearly said he was using that term lightly, "are attempting to pull off some form of subterfuge."

Sammie winced as Ezra pulled the letter from the envelope and opened it. His usually expressionless face hardened as he read:

 _Dear Charles,_

 _It is with great delight that I write to inform you our plan is finally coming to fruition. I believe I have convinced enough of the town's people it is in the best interest of their children that Miss Bishop is not fit to continue teaching their children. You should plan to come to Four Corners soon. I have no doubt that if you are here when she is fired I can convince the appropriate people to hire you._

 _I look forward to seeing you soon, my dear friend._

 _All of my best,_

 _Arthur_

Ezra folded the letter and slipped it back into the envelope. "I believe this conversation is best adjourned to the sheriff's office." He slipped the envelope into the breast pocket of his vest. He nodded at the clerk and took Leah and Sammie by an elbow and led them from the telegraph and post office.

"Would I be incorrect in assuming Ms. Bishop is involved in this as well?" He asked? When neither girl responded, he sighed heavily. "Your silence speaks louder than words." Spotting Kevin playing with a group of boys nearby, Ezra called him over. "Go fetch Ms. Bishop. I believe you will find her waiting on her friends at the schoolhouse. Tell her her presence is requested at the sheriff's office."

Kevin looked from Sammie to Ezra. He wanted to ask what was happening but Ezra's "run along now" kept him from it.

The trio reached the sheriff's office, and Ezra placed his hand on the door knob. Before opening it, he gave the two young ladies a serious look. "Before we discuss your grand scheme, I sincerely suggestion you do not attempt to con a con." Opening the door, he gestured for Leah and Sammie to precede him.

Sammie groaned when she spotted Josiah sitting at the desk. Ezra was bad enough. At least he was likely to leave it up to Chris to mete out any punishment. Josiah, on the other hand, was just as likely to tan them himself, and then make them report everything to Chris when he returned home.

"Problem?" Josiah asked. He'd been slouched in a chair with his feet propped up on the desk. There was a heavy thump as he straightened and dropped his feet back to the floor.

"Would you happen to know where Vin is?" Ezra asked. "I'm sure he will want to hear this."

"He and Nathan have ridden out to the Tyler spread. One of his hands rode in. Seems one of his kids has gone missing. Vin's going to track him."

"Maybe you two should go help," Sammie suggested, hopefully. "After all, the more people looking the better."

"Nope," said Josiah, his suspicion growing. There was a reason Sammie didn't want them there, and it couldn't be good. "Chris is on his honeymoon, and Buck and JD are escorting a prisoner from Greeley for the judge. Now, is somebody going to tell me what's going on?"

Ezra reached into his vest, pulled out the envelope, and handed it to Josiah. He then gestured for Leah and Sammie to have a seat.

Nancy stepped into the office just as Josiah pulled the letter from the envelope. She recognized it immediately and paled as he unfolded the piece of paper.

"Please have a seat, Miss Bishop," Ezra said, gesturing to the last empty chair in the room. He moved to the open door. "Go on and rejoin your friends, Kevin." The gambler waited until the young boy ran off before stepping back into the room and closing the door. By that time Josiah had read the letter.

"I take this to mean Arthur Butterfield did not actually write this letter?" the big man asked, laying the letter on the desk.

"You presume correctly," Ezra stated as he moved to lean against a file cabinet. He examined his fingernails for a moment before speaking. "I became rather suspicious when I observed Samantha and her friend, Leah, entering the telegraph and post office behind our dear Mr. Butterfield." He gave the two young women a hard look and watched as they squirmed in their seats. "Would you prefer to relate to Josiah what I observed through the window, or shall I?"

"How would I know what you saw?" Leah asked, trying to keep her voice innocent. She ignored Sammie's quick intake of breath and the warning kick to the leg of her chair. "I know what happened, but I have no reason to know what you saw."

"Well, Miss Sullivan, why don't you tell us what you and Samantha were doing," Ezra directed as he straightened and adjusted his vest.

"Sammie was mailing a letter to a friend from school. I accompanied her to the post office as we were planning on going to the livery stable afterwards. We were thinking about taking a short ride. I spotted that letter on the floor and bent to pick it up. I was about to hand it to the clerk when you took it from me."

"Perhaps Sammie has not informed you of the consequences of lying. But, my dear, you shall soon learn them for yourself," Ezra said. "I supposed I was hallucinating when I watched you kneel on the floor and pretend to find that letter on the floor. I also suppose if I were to search your room I wouldn't find any incriminating evidence." He watched the young women's faces. Being the expert he was, the gambler had no trouble reading the truth in their visages.

"Ah, I thought so," he said. Sharing a look with Josiah, Ezra asked, "would you like to try that recitation of the facts again?"

Sammy swallowed and met Leah's and Nancy's eyes. Knowing they were defeated any further denial would only bring more trouble, the other two girls nodded their agreement to her silent question.

"It was all my idea," Sammie said. "They only helped me carry it out." Neither Ezra nor Josiah missed the looks of surprise Nancy and Leah gave their friend.

"Really?" Josiah asked, skeptically. He rubbed his chin a moment before continuing, "seems your friends don't exactly agree with you."

Sammie stubbornly remained silent. Nancy broke first and said, "we planned it and worked to carry it out together."

Josiah nodded. Ezra stepped forward to lean on the corner of the desk. "Go on," he directed, leveling a hard look at Sammie – one that promised retribution for her attempt to lie to them.

Leah glanced first at Sammie's stubborn expression and Nancy's repentant one. She didn't know these men well, but she instinctively knew Sammie's less than cooperative attitude wasn't doing them any favors. She sighed heavily. "We came up with the plan together. Then, Nancy provided the writing sample, and I wrote the letter. Sammie figured out the timing and acted as the decoy to distract the clerk while I dropped the letter."

Ezra nodded. "Just what were you planning to accomplish with your escapade?"

"We wanted to give Arthur Butterfield a taste of his own medicine. Let him see how it feels to be treated the way he's been treating Nancy," Sammie responded shortly. "You all haven't seen fit to do anything about it, so we decided to step in."

"It is not our place to prevent a man from expressing his opinion," Ezra stated, coming to his feet. "Regardless of how distasteful we find his orations."

"Did you really think that would be an acceptable way to stop him?" Josiah interrupted. He, too, came to stand in front of the young women. "You three are lucky it was Ezra who found that letter. If someone else had found it, things would be much worse." The three young women in question paled. "Brother Ezra, care to step out onto the porch to talk about what we're gonna do with them?"

As soon as Ezra had closed the door behind himself and Josiah, Sammie covered her face with her hands. She sat that way for several seconds before scrubbing her face and dropping her hands to her lap. "I'm sorry I got you into this," she said as she rose to face Leah and Nancy. "It was ultimate my idea."

Nancy stood and embraced Sammie in a hug. "Don't be silly. I could have easily said no and refused to allow you to do it. I'm just as guilty as you are."

Leah stood as well. "I appreciate you trying to take the blame. But, like Nancy said, I was in on it the whole time, too. We'll all take whatever punishment they see fit to give."

Nancy gave a snort of laughter. "I doubt they'll do much to us. Instead, they'll leave it to Vin and Chris."

"It would be our luck that if we got caught, it would have to be Ezra. If it had been Buck or JD, we probably would have been able to talk our way out of it," Sammy replied, returning her friends' hugs.

"Yeah," Nancy said, grinning, "to be a confidence man, Ezra is almost as adamant about rule and order as Chris."

"At least as it applies to recalcitrant young ladies," Ezra said from the doorway. "Please resume your seats." He and Josiah crossed the room and moved to lean against the desk in front of the three girls.

"We ought to set about the three of you. Had that letter fallen into anyone else's hands, we would," Ezra started.

"However, we decided to leave the most serious punishment to Vin and Chris," Josiah continued. "But," he said, holding up a hand to forestall the girl's sighs of momentary relief, "you will be confined to your respective boarding houses until they see to you. Vin should be back tonight or tomorrow, and Chris next week." He turned and reached across the desk for the bible he'd been reading when Ezra and the girls had entered the room. "In addition, you are to copy Ephesians 4:31-32 one thousand times and present it to me by breakfast tomorrow." He opened his bible to the selected verse and read, " _Stop being bitter and mad at others. Don't yell at one another or curse each other or ever be rude. Instead be kind and merciful, and forgive others, just as God forgave you because of Christ."_

He closed the bible and looked at the three young women. "I believe you'd best go to your boarding houses and get busy."

Sammie, Leah and Nancy stood and moved toward the door. They were about to step through when Ezra stopped them. "Oh, I mustn't forget. You are to each explain what you did to Chris and Vin. I shall converse with them a reason able time after their return to verify you have, in fact, done so. If I discovery you have failed to obey my directive, I shall add to whatever you receive from them after I deliver the news myself. Am I completely understood?"

"Yes, sir," the three young ladies answered and hurried on their way before either man had a chance to change his mind.

AN: Please let me know what you think. I love seeing reviews in my inbox.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:** Thank you to everyone who took the time to review the previous chapters. I know I'm taking a long time to update, but my life is so busy right now I'm having a hard time finding time to sit down and write. I hope this chapter is worth the wait.

 **CHAPTER 5**

It was nearly dark when Vin rode into Four Corners. He was tired and wanted a bath, a meal, a drink, and his bed – and not necessarily in that order. Sighing, he reined his horse in the direction of the livery stable. The animal had worked hard that day and needed attention before Vin could see to his own needs. When they reached the livery, Vin dismounted and led the animal to trough so it could get a drink.

"You find the Tyler boy?" Tiny asked as he approached the other man. News had traveled fast through town, and there was nothing the owner of the livery stabled liked more than gossip.

"Yeah, we found him among some rock fall in a blind canyon about three miles from the ranch house," Vin replied. He grasped his horse's reins as the animal indicated he'd finished drinking and led him into the cool interior of the stable. Tiny followed. 

"Rock fall?" he questioned.

"The kid weren't hurt. He'd just wandered in there and apparently decided that'd be a good place for a nap," Vin explained as he led his horse into his stall. He removed the saddle and put it on a bench outside the stall door before grabbing grooming tools. "It was their youngest boy – about six or seven years old is my guess."

"Now, that don't surprise me much," Tiny replied. "He ain't been right in the head since he got kicked by that mule a while back. Couldn'ta been more'n two years old when it happened."

Vin grunted a reply but didn't say anything. He'd noticed there was something off with the boy, but had't felt it was his place to ask about it. "Nathan stayed behind to keep an eye on him, but he said the boy should be fine with a meal and some sleep."

Tiny nodded. "That's good to hear. Well, I'll leave you to it."

Vin watched the larger man make his way down the aisle of the stable, stopping at every occupied stall to deliver a pat or scratch to its occupant. Turning back to his own horse, he quickly brushed dust and sweat from the animal's coat. When he was finished, he fed the animal and, with a final pat on its haunches, left it to enjoy its dinner.

He stepped out of the stable door and stretched, relieving some of the stiffness in his tired muscles. He supposed he ought to stop by the boarding house and get and change of clothes and take a bath before he did anything else, considering he probably smelled worse than his horse at the moment.

On the way there he decided to sneak in the backdoor to see if Mrs. Patterson had any biscuits left over from dinner. Maybe he could snatch a couple of them to hold him over until he got cleaned up. Then he'd head over to the saloon to see what Inez had cooking in her kitchen. She had always been willing to feed the peace keepers when they arrived back in town too late for dinner at the boarding house.

Vin was in luck. He found a bowl containing leftover biscuits covered in a dishtowel on the kitchen table. He was about to grab one when the sound of his name made him wince.

"Vin Tanner, what are you doing in my kitchen in that state?" Mrs. Patterson demanded as she came through the kitchen door from the dining room and took in his dirty condition. Over the years she'd become like a mother to the peace keepers and their charges, alternately fussing at them or over them, whichever was needed at the moment.

"I …ah …" Vin hesitated. No matter where he was in life, an angry mother figure still had the power to fluster him.

Mrs. Patterson gave him a glare and stuck her head back through the door. "Kevin," she yelled. The boy must have answered, because the next thing Vin knew, the older woman was instructing the boy to run upstairs and get a change of clothes for him. Moving over to the table, she lifted the towel and fished out two biscuits. She handed them to the hungry man. "Eat those. When that boy gets down here with your clothes, you go get yourself cleaned up. I'll have supper waiting for you when you get back."

Vin started to protest, but thought better of it. He took a bite of the flaky biscuit and grinned. There was no stopping that woman once she got an idea in her head. If she said she'd have supper waiting on him, that's exactly what she would do and there'd be no changing her mind.

He'd finished the first biscuit and had started on the second when Kevin came running into the room. The boy carried a bundle of clothing under his arm and was already talking a mile a minute. Vin ignored most of the boy's chatter as he finished off the biscuit. It wasn't until he'd reached for the clothes that what Kevin was saying actually registered.

"And Sammie and Leah and Miss Bishop got in trouble. Ezra caught 'em . . ."

"What?" Vin, demanded, interrupting Kevin.

"Go on, now," Mrs. Patterson interrupted, "get back to what you were doing." She reached for the bundle Kevin still held and handed it to Vin. "You don't need to be telling tales that aren't yours to tell." She turned the boy and gave him a pat on the backside to send him on his way.

"What was he talking about?" Vin demanded when Mrs. Patterson turned back.

"Those three young ladies were up to some mischief while you were gone. Mr. Standish caught them at it before they were able to carry out their plan." The older woman moved to the stove, lighting it so she could warm up leftovers for Vin's meal.

"What kind of mischief?"

"That's for them to tell you," Mrs. Patterson replied. "You get yourself to the bathhouse and get cleaned up. I'll have your dinner ready when you get back, then you can discuss it with them. I'll send one of the boys over to fetch Miss Bishop while you're eating." She made a shooing motion with her hands. "Now git and do what you're told."

Knowing he wasn't going to get anything further from the landlady, he grabbed another biscuit from the bowl and dodged the swat she aimed in his direction. "I'll be back in a bit," he said as he made his way out the door.

About an hour later Vin stepped out of the kitchen in time to see Nancy being escorted through the front door by JD. Having some inkling of what was about to happen, the young man called for Kevin to go with him to the sheriff's office for a bit. Vin nodded his thanks and moved to the stairs and called up, "Sammie, Leah, come down to the parlor. Now."

"Did you find the Tyler boy?" Nancy unknowingly asked the same question Tiny had asked. Only this time, Vin wasn't in the mood for an explanation.

"Yeah," he said as he took her arm to lead her into the parlor. "He'll be fine." He guided her to the settee and motioned for her to have a seat. 

Nancy sighed. She wondered how he had found out so quickly. He couldn't have been back in town that long. "Vin, I can explain."

Vin didn't know yet what had happened. His gut was telling him it was something serious, especially if Nancy was willing to offer up an explanation so quickly. He moved to pace the room. "Wait until the others get here."

"It was all my doing, Vin. Sammie and Leah really didn't have anything to do with it."

"That's sweet of you, Nancy," Sammie said as she and her friend stepped into the room. "But, we can't let you take all of the blame."

"That's right," Leah said, moving to sit beside Nancy. She figured Nancy and Sammie knew exactly what to expect from this quiet, soft-spoken man. She, on the other hand, had no idea and it made her nervous.

Vin nodded at the remaining settee seat, indicating Sammie should take it. "Start talking," he directed.

"How did you find out so fast?" Sammie asked instead, wanting to delay telling him what they'd done.

"That ain't important," Vin responded. He moved to stand in front of her and crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm waitin'."

Sammie shared a look with her two friends. "Nancy told us Arthur Butterfield was giving her a hard time again. So we came up with a plan to give him a taste of his own medicine. Except, Ezra happened along before we could carry it out."

"Jest what was yer plan?" Vin asked. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear the details. Sammie's brief explanation had already set his temper boiling.

"I can copy anyone's handwriting," Leah said. "So I wrote an incriminating letter and made it appear that he had written it."

"We were going to get it into the hands of the postmaster. He's such a nosy busybody, I knew he'd read it and tell everyone what it said."

"And how were you gonna do that?" Vin was having trouble believing what he was hearing.

"We followed Mr. Butterfield into the telegraph and post office. I distracted the postmaster while Leah pretended to find the letter on the floor. We'd arranged it so it would appear the envelope hadn't been sealed and the letter was falling out."

"Mr. Standish intercepted the letter as I started to hand it over to the postmaster," Leah finished the explanation.

Vin nodded. "Where's the letter now?"

"I assume Ezra still has it," Sammie responded.

"What was your role in all this?" Vin asked, turning a hard look on Nancy. 

"We kept her out of it as much as possible," Sammie said. "We didn't want it to be obvious she was involved."

Vin glared at her. "I wasn't asking you." Turning back to Nancy he demanded, "Well?"

"I supplied a sample of Mr. Butterfield's handwriting and helped them plan it."

Vin nodded. "Stay here." He turned on his heel and left the room. He was sure he knew where Ezra was at the moment, and he intended to hunt him down and get that letter. He wanted to read it to see exactly what the girls had done.

Sammie gave a heavy sigh. "Well, that went well." She hadn't expected to have this conversation so soon or with Vin. She didn't know which was worse, this one or the one she was going to have with Chris when he and Mary got home.

"I suppose it's too much to hope he isn't going to find Ezra and get the letter," Nancy asked no one in particular, not really expecting an answer to her question.

Sammie stood and started pacing the room. She was too anxious to sit still.

"What do you think he's going to do?" Leah asked, the worry evident in her voice.

"Let's put is this way," Sammie said. "I don't think any of us are going to be sitting comfortably for a while after he gets finished with us."

"You mean . . ."

"He's going to tan us? Yes, I think that's exactly what's going to happen," Sammie made another circuit around the room.

"Well, it's not like we didn't know the risk of what would happen if we got caught," Nancy stated, shifting in her seat. Her backside twinged at the thought of what was going to happen when Vin returned. "Maybe he'll wait and let Chris deal with it."

"Maybe with Leah, but I doubt he'll let me off so easily." Sammie gave a short laugh. "He hasn't before."

Nancy was surprised at her friend's statement. "When? I know he's had at me before, but I can't imagine him lighting into you."

"It was my first day in town. I'd had enough of those seven men trying to protect me for my own good and threw a tantrum." Sammie gave a short laugh at the memory. "I made a mess out of Nathan's clinic. Vin walked in on it. Let's just say he didn't appreciate my handiwork. He's tanned me a few other times when I've tried to take advantage of Chris being out of town. Believe me, I know exactly how hard his hand is."

"You know, you never did tell me how you came to be in Four Corners," Nancy stated.

"Me, either," Leah chimed in. "There's got to be a story there."

Sammie moved to sit in the arm chair facing the settee. "It's a long story, but my father and I had infiltrated an outlaw gang," she said, launching into the story of how she'd come to live in Four Corners under the care of Chris Larabee.

*** M7 *** M7 *** M7 ***

Vin entered the well-lit interior of the salon. He immediately spotted Ezra in the midst of a poker game at a table in the middle of the room. Rather than interrupt the gambler, Vin made his way to the bar and ordered a beer. Taking a long drink from it, he moved to stand by the table, in Ezra's line of sight. With a slight movement of his head, Ezra acknowledged his presence.

The command for the players to show their hands was given. One at a time they turned over their cards. "Not so fast, by good man," Ezra said, stopping the man across from him from gathering the pot. The man's three of a kind was the highest hand displayed on the table. Ezra slowly turned over his cards to reveal a full house. "I believe the pot is mine," he said, gathering it up. "Deal me out of the next round." Standing, Ezra founded his winnings and placed the bundle into his breast pocket. The other players protested, wanting a chance to win some of their losses back from the well-dressed gambler. "I have business to which to attend," he explained. "I shall return shortly, however, and you will have the opportunity to recoup your losses then."

Leaving the table, Ezra nodded toward an empty table in the back corner of the large room. "I assume by your presence, you have learned of the young ladies' shenanigans."

Vin finished off his beer before replying. "Yeah, I've talked to them. I wanna hear yer version 'a what happened."

Ezra nodded. "I observed Sammie and Leah entering the telegraph and post office. I'm sure most would have missed it, but they seemed a bit too careful about observing their surroundings. Their timing in following Butterfield into the establishment was also too much of a coincidence for my liking. I watched from the doorway as Sammie distracted the post master and Leah slipped the envelope and letter from her reticule and pretended to have found it on the floor. I moved to intercept the letter before she could turn it over." He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out an envelope. Handing it over to Vin, he stated, "you may find the contents to be very interesting."

Taking the envelope, Vin slid out the letter and unfolded it. He'd seen Arthur Butterfield's hand writing on posters the man had hung up around town. If he hadn't known better, he would have assumed the letter had been written by the other man. Ezra stood and moved to the bar to order a drink while Vin laboriously read the document. Returning to the table, Ezra didn't miss how his friend's face had hardened.

"If this letter had gotten out, Butterfield'd be ruined," Vin said, looking up from the letter. Ezra nodded, as words of agreement were not needed.

"Am I correct in assuming there is at least one young lady who soon will be regretting her participation in this scheme?" Ezra asked.

"Not just one," Vin said, standing. "Thanks, Ezra."

*** M7 *** M7 *** M7 ***

"Wow," Nancy exclaimed when Sammie finished telling her story. "I had no idea."

"Very few people in town know the true story of how I came to be Chris's ward," Sammie responded. "Most people think I was kidnapped by the gang and Chris took me in because I didn't have any family."

The sound of the front door opening and then closing caught the young ladies' attention. They shared a look of dread that only worsened when the footsteps continued past the door to the parlor. They had no doubt it was Vin returning, but they had expected him to return to the parlor, rather than venture into another part of the boarding house.

A few minutes pasted in tense silence until Sammie muttered, "crap." Her statement drew Nancy and Leah's attention to the doorway. He was holding the letter in one hand and Sammie's wooden backed hairbrush in the other. Entering the room, he approached the three young women.

Without saying a word, he transferred the hairbrush to his other hand then reached out and grabbed Sammie by the arm. He pulled her to her feet and led her to the settee, where he forced her to sit back down. "Do any 'a you have any idea what coulda' happened ifn' this had gotten out and anyone figured out it was you three that wrote it? Butterfield woulda' had reason to bring criminal charges agin' all three 'a you. You would 'a lost yer job," he said, pointing at Nancy. "And the two 'a you woulda' ruint yer chances 'a ever getting' a job as a teacher."

Sammie swallowed hard. She hadn't considered the possibility that the letter would have been traced back to them. Unable to meet Vin's angry gaze, she looked down at her lap. Nancy and Leah had similar reactions.

"Well?" Vin demanded, wanting an answer to his question.

"No, sir," the three young ladies responded quietly.

"You didn't think beyond getting' revenge against Butterfield. You've been told before to leave him be. He ain't gonna do no lastin' harm and will eventually bring 'bout his own downfall. He don't need yer help doin' it." Vin tossed the letter onto a nearby table. He wanted to burn it, but knew he need to save it for Chris to see when he returned home.

"Now, I aim to see you start thinkin' 'bout the consequences 'a yer actions." Vin sat in the chair Sammie had recently vacated and motioned for Nancy to join him. "Now," he commanded when she hesitated.

"I thought we'd … ah … go back to my boarding house for this," Nancy said nervously. It was bad enough she was about to be paddled, but the thought of it being done in front of her friends was almost unbearable.

"Nope," Vin stated. "You got in trouble together, you can take yer punishment together. Now get over here. You won't like what happens if I gotta come get you."

Nancy slowly rose to her feet and crossed the short distance to where Vin sat. "Do I gotta tell you why yer getting' this whippin'?" he asked.

"No."

Vin nodded. Then, grasping Nancy by the wrist, he drew her face down across his lap. Placing one arm across her back, he laid the hairbrush in the chair beside his thigh. With his free hand, he tossed Nancy's skirts and petticoats up her back, securing them with the arm he was using to hold her in place. He left her drawers in place to protect her modesty. Ignoring Nancy's moan of embarrassment and distress, he brought the hairbrush down hard on the middle of her backside. Vin paddled her hard and fast, barely giving her time to register the pain of one swat before another fell. By the time he stopped, Nancy was crying so hard her pleas for him to stop were barely understandable.

Laying the hairbrush in the chair, he gently lowered her skirts and petticoats then rubbed circles on her back until her cries subsided to occasional sobs. Vin helped Nancy to her feet, then drew her down to sit on his lap. Hugging her, he whispered in her ear. "I hate havin' to do that, but you gotta learn to think." He helped her back to her feet. "Yer forgiven, and we won't speak 'a this again." Nodding toward the settee, he continued. "Now, have a seat."

Sitting was the last thing Nancy wanted to do at the moment, and she sent a pleading look at Vin. Ignoring it, he pointed toward the settee and waited for her to comply. Once she had followed his command, Vin turned to the young woman sitting on the opposite end of the settee. "Sammie," he commanded.

"Can't we just wait until Chris gets home?" she asked hopefully.

"Nope, get over here. Now."

Vin watched as Sammie stood and made her way to where he sat. "Chris may have at you, too, when he find out what you've done, but that ain't gonna get you outta getting' tanned now."

"Do you really have to tell Chris about this?"

"I ain't gonna tell him," Vin responded. "You are."

Sammy groaned in response and allowed herself to be drawn over Vin's lap. There was no way she was going to get out of this, and she'd learned the hard way it was better to concede than to fight. Soon, her skirts and petticoats were secured at the small of her back and Vin was applying the hairbrush to her backside with no sign of tiring. Her backside felt like it had been set on fire by the time Vin was finished, and Sammie was reduced to a crying mess. She was sure it would take days before she would be able to sit comfortably again, and she hoped Chris and Mary took their time returning home. Sammie was drawn from her moment of self-pity when Vin helped her stand and cuddled her on his lap the same way he had Nancy.

After Sammie had reluctantly returned to her seat, Vin turned toward the remaining young lady. "I probably ain't got any authority outside 'a bein' a peace keeper to paddle you, but that ain't gonna stop me from doin' it," he told Leah. "The way I see it, you shared in the crime, so's yer gonna share in the punishment."

After he'd delivered Leah's punishment and she sat, teary-eyed on the settee with Nancy and Sammie, Vin stood. "I'll take you home, now," he said to Nancy. "I suggest the two 'a you go to your room and get busy writin' those lines Josiah gave ya."

TO BE CONTINUED


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to write a review. I enjoy seeing them in my inbox.

Warning: This chapter contains disciplinary spanking. If that isn't your think, hit the back button now.

CHAPTER 6

Sammie and Leah were chatting as they made their way down the boardwalk toward the house Mary and Chris would be renting. They both carried bundles in their arms. Sammie had decided that since her remaining time in Four Corners for the summer was waning, she would move in with them instead of staying at the boarding house. She and Leah had discussed it, and Leah had decided to join her rather than continuing to stay at Mrs. Patterson's. In addition to their own belongings, they carried a few items Mrs. Patterson she was contributing to the dinner Gloria Potter had planned for her friend's return.

"Now isn't this a fine sight to behold," Michael Langdon said as he stepped onto the boardwalk behind them. He tipped his hat in greeting.

Sammie turned and glared briefly at the intrusion. "Mr. Langdon." She started to turn back, but Michael stopped her.

"I'd heard you were back for the summer from attending school back east. I gotta say it agrees with you." He ignored her glare, smiling at her instead. He knew it was perverse of him, but he enjoyed irritating her. "Hmm, seems someone told me Chris will be returning to town tomorrow. I might just stop to ask his permission to accompany you and your lovely friend for a ride on Sunday afternoon."

Leah nearly groaned out loud when she recognized the sweet smile Sammie gave him. It meant she intended trouble. "Why don't you do that very thing, Mr. Langdon. I'm sure Chris would be more than happy to agree," Sammy responded. She was sure Chris would tell him no. She glanced at Leah. "Oh, where are my manners. Michael Langdon," she said, gesturing in his direction, "my friend, Leah Sullivan. Leah, this is Michael Langdon, the bane of my existence."

Michael laughed at the insult. He was glad to see that fancy school Sammie was attending back east hadn't tamed her mouth. It was one of the things he liked most about her. He tipped his hat again. He felt pretty sure Chris would agree to the outing. After all, despite their rocky start, the two men had developed a mutual respect for each other. "Ladies, I will see you Sunday afternoon." Turning, he stepped off the boardwalk into the dusty street. The two young women could hear him whistling a jaunty tune as he walked away.

"Just what was that about?" Leah questioned as she and Sammie resumed walking along the boardwalk. "I've never seen you treat anyone that way."

"He irritates me," Sammie replied.

"I think he's sweet on you." Leah smiled as she watched her friend shift her shoulders uncomfortably. "And, a ride on Sunday sounds like fun."

Sammie ignored Leah's teasing. "If you really want to go for a ride on Sunday afternoon, I'll get JD to go with us. Maybe we can go out to Nettie's. But we certainly aren't going anywhere with Michael Langdon."

Leah was glad she was walking slightly behind her friend. Her grin broadened. "The lady doth protest too much, methinks," she said, quoting a line from William Shakespeare's Hamlet.

"Oh, shut up," Sammie snapped in reply.

Neither young woman noticed the man watching them from the shadows of the saloon porch a short distance away. Colin Hunter had finished his business in Jericho and was finally going to have to opportunity to deal with Chris Larabee. He tamped down the tinge of regret that surfaced when he thought of the new Mrs. Larabee. He hoped she enjoyed her honeymoon. If he had his way, she was going to be a widow by the end of the week.

*** M7 M7 M7 ***

Sammie lingered in Potter's Mercantile, helping Gloria Potter clean the shelves and keeping her company while they waited on the stage coach to arrive. Mary and Chris would be home in just about an hour. She looked up as the small bell tinkled as the door was opened and Ezra entered the store. She'd been successful in avoiding him in the week since the incident at the post master's office, and she couldn't honestly say she was happy to see him now.

"Might I trouble you for a moment of your time, Samantha?" he asked, stepping up to the counter.

Sammie nodded. "I'll be back in just a moment, Mrs. Potter." She followed Ezra out the door, toying with the rag in her hand as she went.

Ezra had never been one for small talk, so he came right to the point. "I do not suppose I need to remind you of the conversation you are to have with Mr. Larabee upon his return?"

"No, Ezra, you don't," she responded a bit too sharply. She winced when Ezra raised an eyebrow at her tone. It probably wasn't a good idea to antagonize him at the moment. "However, I thought I would wait until tomorrow. There's no reason to ruin his homecoming."

"I suggest you do not wait too long. I intend to ask him about it when I see him next. You would do well to have that conversation with him prior to that time." Ezra turned on his heel and walked away.

Sammie twisted the rag she held in her hand. Ezra didn't have to tell her how badly Chris would respond if he heard of the incident from Ezra or one of the other peace keepers rather than from her. She watched as the well-dressed card sharp made his way across the street. She assumed he was headed to the saloon for lunch and a card game, but didn't wait to see if she was right. She had started to return inside when the sound of horses caught her attention. Stepping just inside the door she stated, "the stage is coming in, Mrs. Potter." Removing her apron, she tucked it and her cleaning rag into a shelf under the window by the door. She would need them later when she returned to finish the job she had started.

The two women made their way down the street to where the stage coach would be stopping. Buck and Vin stepped out of the sheriff's office and joined them. Sammy accurately interpreted the questioning look Vin gave her and said, "Ezra's already talked to me. I'll tell him tomorrow."

She was a little relieved when Buck asked, "tell him what?" That meant that neither Vin nor Ezra or Josiah had discussed what had happened. That was one thing she could always count on with these seven men, they didn't spread gossip.

"Something between her and Chris," Vin responded before Sammy could.

"What have you done this time, young'un?" Buck asked, nudging her in the shoulder. The grin on his face told Sammie he was curious, but really didn't expect her to tell him.

"I really don't want to talk about it."

"That bad, huh. Well, good luck."

Before Sammie could respond, the stage pulled to a stop and the door opened. A man Sammie didn't recognize stepped out and turned to help a young boy off the stage. Once the boy was standing beside him, the man turned and caught the carpet bag that was tossed to him from the top of the stage coach. As he moved off, Chris exited from the stage and turned to give Mary a hand down. The driver tossed two bags down, and Chris caught them and set them off to the side. Vin and Buck moved forward to unfasten a trunk from the back of the stage and move it to the boardwalk.

"Welcome home," Gloria said as she quickly approached Mary. "How was your trip?"

Sammie moved forward to welcome Chris with a hug. As much as she dreaded the upcoming conversation, she was glad he was home.

*** M7 M7 M7 ***

The next morning Sammie walked into the kitchen and spotted Chris sitting at the table finishing his last cup of coffee before heading over to the sheriff's office. She sighed, dreading what was coming next. Ezra had made a point of reminding her yesterday that she was to tell Chris what she and Leah had done. He'd told her that if she didn't do it, he would. It was going to be bad enough if she told him. She hated to think how much worse the consequences would be if Chris learned of it from Ezra instead. So, here she was, feeling like she was approaching a gallows. She'd purposely waited until Mary had gone to the Clarion. She's also asked Leah to leave the house so there wouldn't be any witnesses to what was going to happen. She would willingly accept her punishment, but she didn't want any witnesses for it.

Chris looked up from his cup as Sammie approached and sat down across the table from him. He's gut told him he wasn't going to like what he was about to hear. He knew everyone else had already left the house, so whatever Sammie had to tell him wasn't going to be good. He watched as she fiddled with the edge of the table cloth.

Finally, Sammie looked up and met Chris's eyes. "Something happened while you were away."

Here it comes, he thought. He set his coffee cup on the table and straightened in his chair. "Tell me," he commanded.

"I found out Arthur Butterfield was resuming his crusade to get Nancy fired because of her relationship with Vin. Well, Leah, Nancy and I came up with a plan to pay him back." She took a deep breath and related exactly what had transpired from their planning session to the moment Ezra intervened. "Vin learned of it and paddled the three of us pretty good with a hairbrush." Sammie blushed, uncomfortable speaking of the sharp shooter's method of punishment, but she hoped relating it would spare her friends from any additional repercussions. She knew better than to hope the same thing for herself.

Chris sighed heavily. Somehow, he wasn't all that surprised by Sammie's story. That's what he got for not taking the hide off Sammie's backside when she'd told him what she'd done at school. He should have known better than to think she was mature enough not to pull the same lame brained stunt again, especially with his promise hanging over her head. "Just what the hell were you thinking?" He demanded.

"We obviously weren't," Sammie replied. "We wanted to make Mr. Butterfield leave Nancy alone."

"And you didn't think you'd get caught," Chris stated, studying her eyes.

If Sammie hadn't known any better, she'd have thought Chris had read her mind. She nodded in response, not trusting herself to speak.

"Do we even need to discuss why I'm going to blister your hide?"

"No, sir," Sammie responded quietly. "What I did was wrong. Had Ezra not stopped up and the letter was read, it could have ruined Mr. Butterfield's and our reputations and he could have brought charges against us."

"I thought you were smarter than that, Sammie. We'd already talked about you doin' that very same thing once before. I let you off the hook that time, thinking you'd grown up enough to have learned your lesson. Guess I was wrong." Chris didn't attempt to hide the disappointment in his voice. "Get on up to your room. I'll be up shortly, and I want to find your nose in a corner when I get there."

"Yes, sir," Sammie replied. Her eyes were already brimming with tears. It wasn't the thought of the impending whipping that was causing them, but the knowledge that she had disappointed the man she'd come to love like a father. She rose slowly and began moving toward the door. "I'm sorry," she said quietly as she passed Chris.

Chris nodded as she passed. He picked up his coffee cup and studied the now cold contents. He hated what he was about to do, but he didn't have a choice. Sammie was too old and too smart to behave the way she had. He shuddered to think what would have happened if Ezra hadn't intervened. Sighing heavily, he downed the remaining coffee in one gulp and took the cup to the sink. Putting off what he had to do wouldn't make it any easier.

Sammie shifted from foot to foot. She couldn't remember Chris ever having sent her to stand in a corner like a child. She supposed, though, it was fitting. A shiver ran down her spine and the palms of her hands grew damp when she heard Chris's footsteps in the hallway. She listened as they entered his and Mary's bedroom. A few minutes later, the footsteps approached her room and the door opened. Sammie resisted the urge to turn around and kept her nose in the corner. She could hear Chris moving around the room. It seemed like an eternity had passed before he spoke.

"Come here," he commanded.

Her heart nearly stopped when she turned around and saw he was holding his razor strop in his hand rather than a belt. This was going to be worse than she had anticipated. Slowly, she moved to join him by the bed. "Bend over," he directed, indicating the pile of pillows he'd placed on the edge of the bed.

Sammie did as instructed. She groaned when she felt him raise her skirt and open the slit in the back of her bloomers, baring her backside.

"I don't like doing this, Samantha," Chris stated, using her given name – something he only did when she was in serious trouble. "But I aim to make sure this is the last time you ever do something this foolish and reckless. I also want to make sure you understand completely it is never a good idea to do something that could ruin a person's life. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir," Sammie answered, her voice shaky with nerves.

"Good," Chris responded. Not wanting to wait any longer, he drew his arm back and landed the first lick of the razor strop against Sammie's bare backside. Sammie yelped at the searing heat left behind by the thick leather. By the time the strop fell for the twelfth time, she was reduced to a sobbing mess and her backside felt like all the fires of Hell had taken up residence there. She was relieved when she felt the strop land on the bed where Chris had tossed it before closing her bloomers and lowering her skirt.

Sammie rose shakily from the bed and turned to find herself enveloped in Chris's strong arms. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"I know you are," Chris responded. Pushing her back so he could look down into her face, he continued. "However, we aren't finished. Seems I made a promise to you that if I had to whip you for anything you'd get twice what you had coming." He watched as Sammie's face paled at the realization that there was still more to come. "That strapping was just for what you tried to do to Butterfield." He reached for the knife strapped to his belt. Unsheathing it, he handed it to Sammie hilt first. "Go cut a switch."

Sammie swallowed as she accepted the knife. She didn't have to be hold where to get the requested switch. There was a bush beside the livery stable that served as the town's source of switches. She ignored the curious looks from everyone she passed on the way to the stable and back to the house. Given her tear reddened face and stiff gait, there couldn't be any doubt as to what had already happened. Then, given her destination and the switch in her hand, there couldn't be any doubt as to what was about to happen.

The trip to the livery stable and back went quicker than she would have liked. On one hand, she was glad to be away from everyone's curious and pitying looks. On the other, the switch she now carried was going to be applied to her backside. She would have liked to delay that as long as possible. But, inevitably she found herself back in her room and bent back over her bed with her skirts tossed up around her waist.

"Not only did you get in trouble while I was gone, you got in trouble for the exact same thing I'd been lenient with you about earlier. That tells me my leniency was misplaced." Chris laid the switch hard across the top of Sammie's already sore backside. He placed a hand in the small of her back to hold her in place after she jumped at the stinging impact. Quickly he laid another stipe from the switch below the first and continued until he reached her tender sit spots. "Maybe you will think next time before you act." He finished off with half a dozen swats across her sit spots and the tops of her thighs. Sammie would not be sitting comfortably for a good long time.

Tossing the switch onto the bed, he once again lowered her skirt. He waited until she was ready, then helped her rise. Cradling her against his chest, he stroked Sammie's back until she stopped sobbing.

"I really am sorry I did it," Sammy said into Chris's shirt. "I didn't think about what might have happened. I just wanted to do something to stop what was happening to my friend."

"I know," Chris responded. He felt like an absolute brute for having been so harsh with Sammie's punishment, but in his mind he knew it was necessary. "It's over now, and you're forgiven. Just, please, don't make me have to do that again."

Sammie gave a short bark of laughter. "Oh, I think I can easily say I don't want to have to go through that again, either," she said as she stepped out of Chris's arms. She reached back to rub her backside, but winced at the pain from the pressure of her hands, even through her skirts.

"I think it would be best if you stayed in here until lunch time," Chris suggested as he gathered the switch and the razor strop. He would return the strop to his room and drop the switch in the kindling box by the kitchen stove on his way out the door to the sheriff's office. He'd rather go by the saloon for a stiff drink, but he was on duty.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: Once again, I apologize for taking so long to post this chapter. Real life has been absolutely crazy. Plus, I've re-written parts of this two or three times to get something I at least marginally like. I hope the wait was worth it.

 **Warning:** This chapter contains the disciplinary spanking of young adult women. If that bothers you, please hit the back button now.

 **CHAPTER 7**

Chris tossed the sheet of paper he held in his hand onto the desk and reached for his coffee cup. After he'd left Sammie, he'd tracked down Ezra and Vin to find out their sides of what had happened. He wasn't pleased with what he'd heard, but he was proud of Sammie. What she had told him matched with the stories told by his fellow peacekeepers. Still, his foster daughter was lucky he'd delivered her punishment before he'd read the letter she and her friends had forged. Now he needed to decide what to do about Leah and Nancy.

The black-clad gunman stood and began pacing the confines of the small sheriff's office. He knew Vin had already punished the three young women, but Chris didn't know if that was enough. This wasn't the first time Nancy and Sammie had gone after Arthur Butterfield, but Sammie had already paid dearly for her bad decisions.

He had made his decision and was about to set about tracking down the two miscreants when the office door opened and the young ladies in question entered the room.

"Mr. Larabee," Leah said tentatively when she saw the dark look on his face. "There's something we need to discuss with you." Nancy nodded her agreement. Leah had come to her that morning to let her know that Sammie was confessing her role in the scheme to Chris. Sammie had asked Leah to leave the house, so there would be no witnesses to what she expected to be a severe punishment. They decided they couldn't let Sammie take the brunt of the blame and punishment when they had all been in on it together, even if it meant having to face an angry Chris Larabee. Having seen that before, Nancy really wasn't looking forward to what was about to happen.

"Yeah, I would say there is," Chris responded, moving to sit behind the desk. Rather than inviting the two young women to sit down, he leaned back in his chair and pinned them with a look that had them both shifting uncomfortably. "Well?" he demanded. "Get on with it."

"I see you have spoken with Vin," Nancy said, gesturing toward the letter on the desk. Chris didn't respond, but waited for her to continue. This was going to be harder than she'd thought. She glanced over at Leah. "We're sorry."

Chris studied the two young women for a moment before asking, "Sorry you did it, or sorry you got caught."

"Sorry we did it," Leah responded almost immediately. "Looking back, we should never have done it."

"Why did you?" Chris leaned back in his chair. His hard gaze met her eyes. "Seems to me you did it once before and got away with it. Maybe you thought you could do it again." Leah looked confused. "After all, Sammie took the blame for what was done to Mr. Clark." She paled as she realized what he was talking about. "Yes, I know all about it," he confirmed. "Sammie paid her price for her part in both schemes this morning." He paused for a moment, not revealing his thoughts that Leah should pay for her role in it as well. "Answer my question."

"We decided to do it so Mr. Butterfield would know what it is like to be accused of something he didn't do. Just like he's been accusing me of things I haven't done," Nancy stated. "While there are still more people who support me here, there are some who are starting to believe his accusations. That number seems to be growing." She looked down and studied her hands for a moment. "I suppose if word of this gets out, that number is going to grow drastically."

"The only people who know about this are you three and Vin, Josiah, Eza, and me. You can trust we won't tell anyone. You're going to pay for your stupidity through your hide, not your careers." Both young women swallowed hard and nodded. "This could have also landed you in the territorial prison in Yuma. Judge Travis wouldn't have had a choice if your plan had succeeded and Butterfield found out it was you."

Chris stood and moved to the filing cabinet. He opened the top drawer and pulled out a large wooden paddle. Josiah had made it a while back during a rash of teenage pranks in town. When things started getting dangerous the Peacekeepers decided more drastic measures were needed. I didn't take long before word got out that any pranks would be met with swift and painful retribution from the Peacekeepers before the culprit was turned over to his or her parents. The pranks had stopped, and there had been few occasions for using the paddle until now.

"You were right, Nancy," Chris said. "I've talked to Vin, and to Ezra. He wasn't very happy when I woke him up so early. What you did was beyond reckless. It seems to me you're sorrier you got caught than that you did it in the first place." He held up his hand when Leah started to speak. "You had your chance to talk. Now it's my turn." Moving to stand in front of the two young women, he continued. "You thought only of yourselves and not about the potential consequences of your actions. Your lives could have been ruined just for a moment of revenge. I'm going to make sure you start thinking before you do anything else stupid." He twisted to the side and picked up the paddle. Turning back, he tapped it into the palm of his other hand, his intent perfectly clear.

Pointing toward the cells in the back of the room, he said, "Leah, find a corner and put your nose in it, back to the room."

Leah gave Nancy a quick, sympathetic look. "Yes, sir." She moved to comply, already fighting back tears. Had she been home, her father would have done much the same thing. The fact it was her friend's father who was holding the paddle made things just a little worse. As she took her place facing the back corner of one of the cells, she couldn't help but think she really did need to stop and think a bit more every once and a while and quit ignoring the pricking of her conscious.

As soon as Leah was in her corner, Chris turned to Nancy. "Do we need to discuss this any further?"

"No, sir," Nancy replied quietly.

Chris nodded toward the desk. "Bend over and lift your skirts," he ordered as he picked up the paddle. "Maybe next time you start plottin' revenge against someone you'll stop and think before you act." He brought the paddle down hard against the middle of her backside. Nancy's thin cotton drawers provided the only protection from the hard wood. She yelped at the fire that spread across her backside, but she barely had time to register it before the paddle fell again and again. It fell a dozen times before Chris paused. "You don't spread lies about people." The paddle descended twice against her sit spots. He held nothing back, wanting to make sure she felt this paddling for a good long while. "You don't seek revenge against others." As the paddle descended twice more, Chris felt a bit guilty about that one – considering his own history. "You will learn to start thinking before you act." The paddle met her sit spots twice more before Chris laid it on the desk. By now, Nancy had dissolved into hard sobs. It took her several moments to realize the punishment was over and Chris was rubbing her back, trying to sooth her. "It's over," he said as he gently lowered the young woman's petticoats and skirt back to place.

He helped her move into a standing position and pulled her into a hug. Nancy sobbed against his firm chest, not caring it belonged to someone other than Vin. When she got herself back under control she stepped back out of his arms. "I'm sorry," she said simply.

"I know," Chris replied. "You've paid the price, now everything is forgiven." He pointed toward a corner in the other jail cell. "Go stand in the corner while I deal with Leah." He waited until Nancy was in place before calling Leah front and center.

Chris leaned his hip against the edge of the desk and crossed his arms over his chest. Leah stood in front of him, head lowered as she suddenly found the floor to be of extreme interest. "Look at me," he directed. When her eyes met his he continued, "Why did you let Sammie take all of the blame for Mr. Clark?"

"I tried to take my share of the blame, but Sammie wouldn't let me. I'd been in trouble before, and she knew there was a good chance I'd get expelled this time. She wouldn't let me talk her out of it," she explained as a tear rolled down her cheek. She reached up to wipe it away.

Chris nodded. It sounded just like Sammie, so he had no problem believing what Leah had just said. "Why did you do it?" he asked, curious if she would give the same reason as Sammie.

"Mr. Clark was accusing one of our classmates of something she didn't do. He kept saying she was cheating on her homework and he was going to get her kicked out of school. But, she hadn't been cheating. A number of us had been tutoring her to help her understand the work. We wanted him to know what it was like to be accused of something you didn't do. We just didn't think he would be let go because of what we did. That's why Sammie went to the headmaster."

"What would your father have done if he'd known about this?"

Leah shuddered. "He would have taken his belt to me."

Chris nodded, almost feeling sorry for the young woman standing in front of him. "Sammie knew going in that when she got caught she'd get what she had coming for this and for what she did at school. That's the same price you're going to pay. Except where Sammie felt my razor strop and a switch on her backside, you be making the acquaintance of this paddle and my belt." He paused, giving Leah time to absorb his words. "Can you give me a good reason why I shouldn't?"

"No, sir," Leah replied. Although this was going to be far from pleasant, she almost hoped that some of the guilt she'd been feeling over Mr. Clark would soon be relieved.

Chris stood. "Bend over the desk and lift your skirts." He watched as Leah bent over the wooden service. Due to her petite size, she had to lift herself up to bend over it completely. Chris helped, and soon her feet were dangling a couple of inches off the floor and her skirts were piled up on the small of her back.

"I don't suppose we have to talk about this any further?" he asked, resting the paddle against Leah's upturned backside. "No, sir," she responded. "I understand why this is happening." Chris nodded. He wasn't happy about why they were in this position, but he was proud of the way this young woman was accepting what was going to be a severe punishment. Sighing in resignation, he brought the paddle down hard across the middle of Leah's backside. She jerked and let out a moan in response.

By the time the paddle landed for the twelfth time, Leah was crying so hard she could hardly catch her breath. Chris repeated the same lecture and swat sequence he had given Nancy, then placed the paddle on the desk beside Leah. He didn't miss the way Leah's body relaxed when she realized he had laid the paddle down. Placing his hand on the small of her back to comfort her and let her catch her breath, he said, "We aren't done yet. That paddling you just received was what you did here. The dozen licks you're gonna get from my belt on your bare backside are for what you did at school. I hope you remember this and stop to think the next time you plot trouble for someone."

"No, please," Leah pleaded, reaching back to cover her backside. Chris brushed her hand away and opened the slit in the back of her thin cotton drawers, exposing her already red cheeks and upper thighs. The sound of his leather belt being pulled through the belt loops of his pants sounded loud in the small room. He doubled the belt and made sure the buckle was secured in his hand before bringing the strap down on Leah's backside. After the promised dozen licks fell, he stepped back and tossed it onto the desk.

"It's over," he said quietly as he gently closed the slit in her drawers and lowered her skirts. Helping her stand, he pulled her into a hug and let her cry against her chest. He was going to have to go home to put on a dry shirt, he thought to himself.

"All is forgiven, we won't speak of this again," Chris said quietly in Leah's ear. She nodded and stepped back and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Nancy, come over here, please."

Chris picked his belt up from the desk and slid it back through his belt loops. He then moved to lean his hip against the desk, facing the two young women. "I don't like having to do that, and I'd rather not have to do that again." His hard eyes met Nancy's. "We've been through this before with you and Butterfield. He's going to be his own downfall, and doesn't need any help from you. If I ever catch you doing anything like this again, I won't care what Vin does, but what I will do will make the paddling you just received feel like child's play. Am I understood?"

"Yes, sir," Nancy said as she reached back to rub her still very sore backside. She shuddered at the thought of it being worse.

"I really hope you do," Chris replied solemnly. Turning to Leah, he continued, "You and Sammie will be returning to school in a couple of weeks. Behave yourself while you're here, because I won't hesitate to step into your father's shoes again if needed."

Leah nodded her agreement. At Chris's raised eyebrow, she quickly amended, "yes, sir."

He came back to his feet and moved to raise the shade on the window and unlock the door. "We're done here. I suggest you both go home and do some serious thinking about what got you into this." He held the door open and waited for both young women to exit before stepping through it himself.

*** M7 *** M7 *** M7 ***

Michael Langdon stepped from the dirt street onto the wooden porch of the Sheriff's Office. He needed to speak with Chris Larabee, and figured this was where he'd be able to find him. If not, whichever of the peacekeepers was on duty this morning would likely know where he could be found.

Michael had barely stepped onto the porch when he heard the unmistakable sound of leather on flesh and an accompanying cry. The cry didn't sound like it came from a child, so he couldn't help but wonder who had gotten themselves in such serious trouble so early in the day. Deciding discretion was the better part of valor, Michael stepped off the porch to the side of the building, intending to wait until the business taking place inside was finished.

He had only a few minutes to wait until the door opened. His curiosity go the better of him, and Michael moved to where he could see the porch. He was surprised to see the town's school teacher and Sammie's friend emerge onto the porch. They were the last people he had expected to see. He started to step back when movement on the street caught his attention.

"Chris Larabee!" Colin Hunter stood in the center of the street, less than a block from the Sheriff's Office. "It's time for you to meet your maker."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Chris quickly surveyed the town. A number of people were going about their business. Those who had heard Colin Hunter's declaration had stopped to watch, ready to run for shelter in a moment's notice. He stepped forward so he stood between the two young women and the street. "Get back inside and hunker down in one of the cells until someone comes for you," he said without looking back at them. He sensed Leah about to protest. "Now!"

Nancy knew what was about to happen. She grabbed Leah by the arm and pulled her toward the door. "Come on."

Leah, not wanting to make a scene and distract Chris, allowed Nancy to draw her into the building. But as soon as they were inside and the door closed behind them, she pulled free. "I want to hear what's going on," she said, taking a step closer to the door. This was her first gun fight, and she didn't want to miss a moment of it.

Nancy shook her head in disbelief and moved to grasp Leah's arm again, intending to drag her friend into a cell at the back of the small building if necessary. Leah again tried to pull free, but Nancy was determined. "Do you really want to have another meeting with Chris and his belt? Because if you disobey him on this, that's exactly what's going to happen. He won't care that he just whipped you." She gave a little shutter at the idea.

Leah didn't doubt Chris would do just as Nancy had speculated. She knew he took the safety of those he cared for seriously, and the last thing she wanted was another encounter like the one she'd just had. Her backside still burned. Signing heavily in resignation, she withdrew her arm from Nancy's grasp and moved toward the back of the building. As she stepped into the cell, she stopped suddenly. "What about Sammie and Mary?"

Nancy gave her friend a slight push to urge her further into the cell. She eyed the hard floor in the far corner, knowing that was likely the safest place for them to hide. She shuddered at the thought of having to sit down on her still throbbing backside. "Warning of what's happening will spread quickly. It wouldn't surprise me if the streets aren't already clearing and the other Peacekeepers aren't taking up positions around town. Sammie and Mary know to take cover." She gave a short laugh. "They both had to learn that lesson from Chris the hard way." The meaning of her statement was perfectly clear. Having just experienced his rath, Leah almost felt sorry for them.

Outside, if Chris was surprised to see Michael Langdon standing at the far side of the porch he didn't show it. He met the younger man's gaze and gave a slight nod toward the street. The gesture needed no explanation, help clear the street. Michael nodded and quickly stepped off the porch to help get people off the street and into cover.

Finally, Chris turned his attention back to the man standing in the street, and took another minute to study him. Even from that distance, he could tell Colin Hunter was seething at being ignored. Good, Chris thought, that would keep him off balance.

Even as he the townspeople raced to get indoors and out of the line of fire, Buck stepped out onto the saloons wide porch. Seconds later, Ezra stepped out of the hotel and took up a position on the building's porch. Chris almost grinned at the card sharp's disheveled appearance. The man had hurried out of his room without his usual fancy jacket and vest. Chris supposed the man had had a late night at the salon and had only just gotten out of bed. Movement on the roof of the general store caught his attention, and Chris watched as Vin took up position behind the building's false front. He'd thought the tracker was in the livery stable. Without looking, he knew Josiah would be leaving the church to take up a position to cover his back. JD had left early that morning to go out to Nettie's, and Nathan hadn't yet returned from a nearby ranch where he'd been called to help an injured man. Not all that long ago, Chris would have stood there alone. He'd even preferred it that way. Now, he was thankful for the presence of his fellow Peacekeepers.

"Who the hell are you?" Chris didn't bother to disguise the disdain in his voice. He recognized the man as one of the two who'd gotten off the train the same time as Sammie and Leah. He didn't recall having having seen Colin Hunter other than on that one occasion, and couldn't fathom what he'd done to make this man want to kill him.

"You killed my brother in Purgatory." Colin's hand inched toward the gun strapped to his side, plainly broadcasting his intentions.

Christ's expression remained impassive. He didn't specifically remember Hunter's brother, but a number of men had died during the shoot out he'd been in during his last trip to the lawless Mexican town. "If I did, it was in a fair fight." Christ's arms remained relaxed at his sides, ready to react in a split second if need be.

Christ's answer only angered the other man further. "That doesn't matter," Hunter replied. "He's still dead. And you're the man responsible."

"How do you know it was me? There were a lot of bullets flying that day." Movement at the corner of eye caught Christ's attention. Turning his head slightly, he saw that Michael Langdon had taken up a position at the side of the porch. Colin Hunter seemed to be oblivious to the fact he was in the crosshairs of five drawn guns.

"That must have been four or five years ago. Took you long enough to find me," Chris continued to taunt the man standing before him. The man wasn't an experienced gunfighter. Chris knew if he could push the man into going for his gun, Chris could out draw him and end this without either of them having to die. "You couldn't have been looking to hard, since I've been right here the whole time." Chris stepped off the porch and took up a stance about twenty feet from the other man. "Seems a shame to spend all that time looking for me, only to die before you get to enjoy your revenge." Chris made a point of looking past Hunter to meet first Vin's gaze, then that of Buck and Ezra, subtly signaling to the other man that they weren't alone on the street.

"You're the one who's going to die today." Hunter reached for his gun, oblivious to Chris's warning.

Chris sighed heavily as he pulled his gun and fired a split second before Hunter leveled his pistol to do the same. He'd been right, he thought. Colin Hunter was far from the experienced gunfighter he was pretending to be. The bullet impacted against Hunter's gun, sending it flying, before ricocheting into his hand. It passed clean through before embedding itself several feet away in the dirt street. He screamed in pain and cradled his now bleeding hand against his chest.

"Take a look around you," Chris instructed as he stepped forward and kicked Hunter's gun further out of reach. His smile was chilling as Hunter looked around and saw the number of firearms now trained in his direction. He watched as Buck and Ezra moved from their positions to approach him. He didn't have to be told that had he succeeded in gunning down Chris Larabee, he wouldn't have lived to enjoy his victory. The realization caused him to go pale and his knees nearly buckled.

Hunter caught the bandana Chris tossed to him and was struggling to tie it around his wounded hand when the barrel of Buck's revolver came to rest against his back. "Guess today's your lucky day. Ol' Chris's aim's been slippin' a bit lately. Don't think his eyesight's as good as it used to be."

Buck grinned over at Chris. The black-clad gunman turned on his heel without acknowledging Buck's remark and headed back toward the jail. Buck prodded Hunter a little harder, silently indicating he was to follow.

"What about my hand?" Hunter whined, as he once again cradled it against his chest.

"Nathan's out of town. He should be back in the next day or so. He'll fix you up then. 'Til then, we got a nice cozy cell where you can wait." Using the barrel of his gun, Buck gave Hunter a slight shove to get him moving.

Chris stepped onto the porch and waited for Michael to join him. "There a reason why you're hanging around my jail?" he demanded shortly.

Michael had to restrain himself from making a snide comment in return. He didn't suppose that would help his cause. "I came to ask your permission to court Sammie."

Chris really wasn't that surprised at the younger man's request. He hadn't missed the way they had been watching each other lately. Although he would die before he admitted it to anyone, but Chris had been impressed with the young man lately. He supposed first impressions could be deceiving even now and then. "You asked her if she wants you to court her?" Chris studied Michael as he waited for his answer.

"Not yet. I thought I'd best your permission first." He flashed the older man a grin. "Wouldn't do for me to show up at your door, only to be met at gunpoint, now would it?"

The young man had a point, Chris conceded. "She's going back east in a couple of weeks. If she's willing, you have my permission." He turned and headed toward the door, hoping he'd find the two young women where they were supposed to be.

Leah and Nancy huddled in the far corner of one of the jail cells. They'd pulled the thin mattress of the bunk to serve as a cushion between their sore backsides and the hard floor. They couldn't hear what was going on outside, and the lack of information was unnerving.

"What do you think is happening," Leah asked. Her earlier enthusiasm had waned, and worry had taken its place.

"I don't know. But, it's taking an awfully long time."

Both young women jumped and let out a frightened scream when the sound of a gunshot suddenly split the air. "Do you think . . ." Leah left her question unsaid. She shared a worried look with Nancy before starting to stand. Leah paced the cell for what felt like hours. She was worried and had to find out what happened. Determined to get answers, she started across the room.

Nancy scrambled to her feet to rush after her. The last thing she wanted was for Chris to return and think They'd disobeyed him. She groaned when the door opened just as Leah reached it.

Leah took a step back as the door opened and Chris stepped through. She swallowed hard at the hard look that immediately crossed his face. She started to say something, but Nancy rushed forward.

"We were in the cell, just like you'd ordered," Nancy said quickly. She gestured toward the cell and the mattress on the floor as proof.

"Uh huh," Chris stepped further into the room, leaving the dorm open for Buck and his prisoner. "Looks like it."

"I . . ." Leah started to give an explanation, but forgot what she was about to say when Colin Hunter entered the room with Buck closely behind him. "Mr. Hunter?" she exclaimed in surprise. She hadn't had the opportunity to see who had been standing in the street before she'd been hustled back into the sheriff's office. "What are you doing here? Oh," she said, "You're injured." She started to take a step toward him, but Chris grabbed her arm and drew her away. Only then did she notice the gun that was being held at his back. "What's going on?" she asked, suddenly confused.

Nancy had already realized what was happening and had moved closer to Chris. She didn't know this Mr. Hunter and didn't want to be in his path as he was escorted into his cell.

"Come on," Chris said, leading Leah and Nancy outside.

"But, what happened?" Leah asked again, pressing for answers.

"All you need to know is that it's over," he responded shortly. "I suggest you do as you were told earlier and go home." As they stepped out onto the porch, Chris spotted Michael walking in the direction of the livery stable. He hadn't gotten far from the sheriff's office, and quickly turned when Chris called his name.

Chris decided he'd take the coward's way out just this one time. He wasn't in the mood to explain what had happened and the reason behind Colin Hunter's vendetta against him. He wondered if his past would ever stop coming back to haunt him. When Michael reached the porch, Chris released his hold on Leah's arm. "See these two home." Not waiting for a response, Chris turned and walked back into the sheriff's office, leaving Michael to answer the young women's questions.

TO BE CONTINUED


End file.
